Nizwa College of Technology

Human Resource Dpartment

Employee Handbook
 Table of Contents
1. Preface 1

2. About The Human Resources Department 2

3. Recruitment 3

4. Employment 4

5. Leave Policy 5

6. Promotion 6

7. Visas 7

8. Cards 8

9. Certificates 9

10. Training Sessions 10

11. Cash Compensation Ticket Value 11

12. Renewal Of Contract 12

13. Statistics 13

14. Safety & Health 14

15.House Rules 15

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 PREFACE
Welcome to Nizwa College of Technology (NCT). You are
now part of a dedicated multinational team of faculty and staff
serving Omani college students.

The Human Resources Department (HRD) at NCT has

compiled this handbook to offer you the framework to be
successful in your work. It provides an overview of the main
policy that governs this institution. It is not intended to address
every detail about human resources management; however, it
outlines briefly a range of procedures, rules and benefits as well
as other common issues arising at the workplace.

It is important for you to be familiar with the information in

this handbook, so please review it carefully and refer to it
anytime you need to answer basic questions regarding your job.

The HRD staff can provide additional details and assistance

relating to your employment should you have further questions.
We wish you success in your position and hope you will enjoy a
long and rewarding career with NCT.

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 About the HRD at NCT
The HRD at NCT is the mini-personnel unit where all the
powers that deal with human resources management are
devolved. As per the Bylaws of Colleges of Technology, the
HRD falls within the authority of the Assistant Dean for
Administrative and Academic Affairs. Because the human
element is important to the development of any public or private
institution, the Omani government has focused on developing
human resources in various fields for optimum utilization of this
vital resource. This will enable institutions to improve their
performance and achieve their strategic objectives.

The HRD performs several responsibilities pertaining to the

rights and duties of its employees and assists them to get any
service or request easily and smoothly. This is reflected
positively on the employees’ performance as it saves their time
and effort and allows them to meet their duties. In this
handbook, we attempt to highlight briefly those aspects of
human resources administration, which every employee must be
aware of to answer their basic questions throughout their tenure
in the college.

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 First: Recruitment
The HRD is concerned mainly with identifying the current
and future staffing needs of the various departments in the
college. It works in coordination with the heads of centers and
departments to specify the qualifications and experience
required for vacant positions. For instance, when a department
has a vacant administrative position, an advertisement will be
posted in the mass media, and dates for testing and personal
interviews will be fixed. The testing and interview panel
includes the HRD, which participates in assessing and selecting
candidates. Upon commencement of service, new recruits report
to the HRD and hand in the required documents, which include a
CV, a passport copy, a copy of local Omani I.D., a copy of the
residence card for non-Omanis, 2 photos and a copy of their
latest qualification(s). These documents are kept in the
employee personnel file.

On their first day of employment, new recruits will usually

report to the Human Resources Department to complete the
engagement formalities and attend a brief induction before they
report for duty to the designated centers and departments. Heads
of centers and departments should arrange for new employees'
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job induction once they have reported for duty. New employees
will also be invited to attend a Staff Orientation Program to help
them better understand the mission, objectives and
organizational structure of NCT as well as its regulations and
code of conduct. This will help the new employees adjust and
acclimatize to their jobs and to the working environment,
ensuring effective integration of staff into the organization.

As a final part of the recruitment process, the HRD sends

the new staff to his/her respective department and notifies the
ministry/agency of the employee's joining date.

Reference: Bylaws of Colleges of Technology, Article (27), item (C),

page 42.

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 1. Recruitment on grade basis

Staff is appointed on grade basis according to the terms and

conditions set for each salary grade as per the Civil Service Law
and its Bylaws outlined in the pay scale/salary grade of that law.

2. Recruitment by companies and agencies

The Ministry of Manpower has concluded contracts with

some private sector recruitment companies to provide lecturers
and technicians of various disciplines for the technical colleges
in Oman. Their names and contact details are as follows:

No Company Phone No. Fax No. E-mail address

1 Bahwan 24561586 24567148 bct@bahwncybertek.com  
2 Glob Net 24480012 24480092 www.globnetllc.com  
3 TATI 24693767 24698011 www.tatioman.com  
4 CECN 24481759 24482734 cecnoman@omantel.net.om
5 Al Nawa 24786672 24786659 getselectednow@yahoo.com

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 Second: Employment
Upon appointment, the HRD maintains a personnel file for
each new employee, which contains the following documents:

• CV/Resume, qualifications, certificates of experience,

training sessions

• Job offer letter, employment contract, promotions

• Types of leaves

• Transfer decisions, delegation, secondment and authorized

employment permit

• Salary certificate and bank transactions

• Official missions and their correspondences

The employee personnel file is updated occasionally to ensure

the availability and validity of the documents it contains so that
all employees’ information can be accessed at any time. The
confidentiality of the employee’s information in the employee
personnel file is highly maintained.

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Identity Card + Identification Badge:

Each employee or lecturer is issued an identification card (ID)

and identification badge upon their first appointment on salary grade.
The employee ID card contains, amongst other things, the bearer’s
name, nationality, date of appointment, job title and his/her civil
service number. The college requires faculty and staff to wear their
ID badge while discharging duties because the physical presence of
these badges will enable students to easily identify them if they’re in
need of assistance.
Loss of ID card or ID badge must be reported immediately to the
HRD. In addition, employees should request a replacement. A non-
refundable replacement fee of RO 2.5 will be charged each time a
new badge is issued.

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 Third: Leave Policy
All employees shall be entitled to certain types of leave in
accordance with Chapter 10 of the Civil Service Law
promulgated by Royal Decree No. 120/2004. They should make
a prior written or oral statement giving the reasons and time for
taking a leave. A staff member who wishes to take a leave of
any kind (except sick leave) is required to fill out the Leave
Application Form prepared by the HRD and submit it to the
direct supervisor. The latter forwards the application to the HRD
which verifies the employee’s balance of the requested leave
and then sends the application to the concerned Assistant Dean
for approval. Finally, the leave will be granted with the approval
of the College Dean. No leave, except emergency leave, will be
recognized without prior approval of the college leave
sanctioning authority. The HRD leave policy is outlined below:

Reference: Chapter 10 of the Civil Service Law issued by Royal

Decree No. 120/2004.

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Ordinary Annual Holidays and Breaks:

Ordinary annual holidays (end of year/summer) and breaks

for administrative and academic staff members are determined
by a ministerial decree issued by His Excellency Sheikh /
Minister of Manpower outlining the academic calendar (the
beginning and the end of the school year, beginning and end of
the summer holiday and the breaks between the semesters). The
length of these vacations are different from those in other
government educational institutions where the amount of annual
leave is the same for all staff and faculty regardless of their
salary grades.

Reference: Article 71 of the Civil Service Law and Bylaws of

Colleges of Technology

Emergency Leave:

A staff member is entitled to a five-day emergency leave

once every year to cover absences associated with emergencies
and urgent matters beyond his/her control provided that the
College Dean deems them appropriate. Employees who take
emergency leave must submit an emergency leave request
immediately after the leave is over, which may be extended to
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five more days with the sanction of His Excellency Sheikh /
Minister of Manpower. Emergency leaves for non-contract
employees will be calculated according to the fiscal year (1
January to 31 December), whereas the contractual year for
lecturers and technicians working with agencies and companies
begins on the day of signing the contract and ends on the day the
contract terminates.

Reference: Article (77) of the Civil Service Law

Sick leave:

The sick employee shall be entitled to a leave to be

determined by the competent medical authority as follows:

1. Full paid leave for not more than 7 days for each instance.
2. Six months fully paid
3. Six months for three quarters of salary and all allowances.
If the sick leave is the result of an occupational accident, it shall
be fully paid without time limit. The sick leave of the employee
shall not be recognized if it falls into any of the other authorized
leaves. Sick leaves issued from private hospitals and health
centers shall not be recognized unless they are attested by the

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Ministry of Health. Sick leave documents should be submitted
immediately without any delay to HRD upon returning to work.
Reference: Articles (72, 73, 74, 75, 76) of the Civil service Law.

Hajj Leave:

The employee shall be entitled to a paid special leave to

perform Hajj. It shall not be more than twenty days and shall be
given once during the service of the employee in the
government.

Reference: Article (78) of the Civil Service Law

Iddat Leave:
At the demise of her husband, the female employee shall be
entitled to a special full paid leave for iddat. This leave is for
four months and ten days from the date of demise. The female
employee must submit the deceased’s death certificate along
with a copy of the marriage certificate.
Reference: Article (79) of the Civil Service Law

Delivery Leave:
A female employee shall be entitled to a fifty-day special
leave for pre-and post-delivery period. This leave shall be

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salaried and shall not be taken more than five times during the
whole service period in the government.
Reference: Article (80) of the Civil Service Law

Maternity Leave:
The female employee shall be entitled to a non-paid special
leave for not more than one year for taking care of her child.
She shall submit a request to get this leave within one year from
the end of the delivery leave provided that she is not a contract
employee. The female employee must not embark on such leave
without prior approval of the authorities concerned.
Reference: Article (81) of the Civil Service Law

Spouse Accompanying Leave:

The non-contract employee shall be entitled to a special
non-paid leave to accompany his/her spouse if s/he is sent on a
mission or a scholarship or a training course or study leave or if
s/he is delegated or seconded overseas. In order to avail this
leave, the employee shall allow sufficient time before it starts.
The period of the leave shall not be less than six months.
Reference: Article (82) of the Civil Service Law

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Leave for Representing the Sultanate:
An employee who has been selected to represent the
Sultanate in some official activity or occasion inside or outside
the Sultanate shall be entitled to a fully paid special leave
provided that s/he submits a letter/certificate from the authority
s/he is representing that shows the duration of that activity.
Reference: Article (83) of the Civil Service Law

Leave for Accompanying Patients:

The employee may be given a special paid leave for not
more than fifteen days to accompany a sick person for treatment
inside or outside the Sultanate if the competent medical
authority deems this necessary. If the treatment takes more than
the said period, His Excellency the Minister or the authorities
concerned may extend the period for not more than thirty
additional days. The employee must submit relevant
documentary evidence including a certificate from the hospital
where the patient has been treated, attested by the hospital
administration, the ministry of foreign affairs of the host
country, the embassy of Oman in that country and the Ministry
of Health in Oman.
Reference: Article (84) of the Civil Service Law

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Non-salaried Special Leave:
As per reasons the college authorities may deem
appropriate, the non-contract employee may be given a non-
salaried leave for not more than one year that can be renewed for
not more than four years during the whole service period on
condition that s/he shall pay the due amounts to the civil service
retirement fund for Omani employees. For contract employees
the amounts due will be deducted from the employee’s end of
service gratuity.
Reference: Article (85) of the Civil Service Law

Study/Education Leave:

Pursuant to a resolution by the unit head, the non-contract

employee may be given a paid study leave if s/he intends to
complete his/her studies on his/her own expense to gain the
following academic qualifications or their equivalents:
Bachelor, Master or Ph. D degrees.
- A higher diploma for not less than one year after bachelor
degree.
- A diploma for not less than one year after high school.
Study shall be in a field that work interest immediately requires.
Reference: Article (87) of the Civil Service Law
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Exam Leave:

The employee shall be entitled to a salaried leave to sit for

his exams for a period not exceeding the one shown in the exam
timetable of the school/university concerned.
Reference: Article (88) of the Civil Service Law

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 Fourth: Promotions
The HRD works in conjunction with the Personnel
Department in the Ministry to assess staff eligible for promotion.
As per Article 28 of Chapter six of the Civil Service Law issued
by Royal Decree No. 120/2004, promotion shall be based on
both worthiness factors: efficiency and seniority, as follows:

70% for efficiency,

30% for seniority.
The employee shall not be considered for promotion if
his/her latest performance report is “weak”.
Annual Pay Increment:
The employee shall be entitled to a periodical bonus at the
beginning of January of each year within the limits set for his
salary grade, provided that s/he has spent at least six months in
the job. The employee shall not be entitled to the periodical
bonus if his/her latest performance report is ‘weak’.

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 Fifth: Visas
The expatriate employee is entitled to different types of
visas under the terms of the service contract signed with
him/her. These visas are as follows:
Employment Visa:
The ministry usually provides this visa to the employee
immediately after the signing of the contract.
Family Joining and Family Residence Visa:
The Family Joining visa shall be granted to the wife of the
expatriate employee on family contract as well as to three of his
children below 21 years old. The validity is for two years from
the date of stamping the visa in the passport. The fee for
renewing each visa is RO. 20. Children who are 21 years old
shall depart the country immediately when their resident permit
expires. The conditions for obtaining such visas are as follows:
1. A written application addressed to the Assistant Dean for
Administrative & Financial Affairs.
2. Valid copies of wife’s and children’s passports
3. A copy of marriage certificate, endorsed by the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs of the base country and the Oman Ministry

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 of Foreign Affairs, or by the Oman Embassy in the base
country.
4. A valid medical report
5. Two photos of the applicant and of each accompanying
family member
6. A valid copy of the applicant’s passport
7. A visa application form filled out by the applicant
Relative Visit Visa:
The expatriate employee shall be entitled to visiting visas for
his relatives at his request on condition that his family is
currently residing in Oman. The visa is for three months,
renewable for up to one month. The fee for obtaining and
renewing this visa is RO. 20. To obtain a visiting visa, the
applicant must provide the following documents:
1. A written application addressed to the Assistant Dean for
Administrative & Financial Affairs
2. A valid copy of the visitor’s passport
3. Two photos of the visitor
4. Passport copies of the expatriate employee and his wife
5. A visit visa application form filled out by the applicant

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Cancellation of Visa:
Should the employment contract end for any reason, the
HRD shall take the necessary measures to cancel the visas of the
employee, his wife and children at Muscat airport. The HRD
also cancels the children’s visas when they reach 21 years old.

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 Sixth: Cards
Residence Card:

The expatriate employee who resides in the Sultanate of

Oman and his/her accompanying family members above 15
years old must obtain a resident identity card upon stamping the
residence visa or renewing it.

To obtain a resident card, the resident employee must fill

out the application form which is available at any private
clearance office and endorsed by the Civil Status Department.
The fee for obtaining and filling in the resident card application
form is one Omani Rial, whereas the fee for obtaining the card is
RO. 10.

Other requirements include a copy of the passport and one

personal photo with blue background. Residence cards are
processed and issued for all expatriates and foreigners from 1 p.
m. to 7.p.m.

Free Medical Card:

As per contract and per the provisions stated by the Civil
Service Council decision no. (6/2005) dated 13/3/2005 the
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expatriate employee and his/her family members below 18 years
old who reside in the Sultanate shall receive certain free of
charge health services in government hospitals with the
exception of the treatment of the following illnesses and
surgeries:
1- Organ transplantation
2- Open heart surgery
3- Cancers
4- Hepatitis epidemic types
5- Infertility
6- Genetic and malignant disorders
7- Reconstructive surgery
8- Renal dialysis
9- Prosthesis
10- Addiction
11- Heart disease
The documents required for obtaining a free medical card
are:
1. A written application addressed to the Assistant Dean for
Administrative & Financial Affairs
2. A family photo saved in a flash drive

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 3. A filled in medical card application form, available at the
HRD

Seventh: Certificates
The HRD addresses the authorities concerned in the
Ministry of Manpower regarding the issuance of various
certificates including:
Salary Certificates:
The applicant must fill out and sign the income certificate
form provided at least three months have elapsed since the
issuance of the last certificate. Salary/Income certificates are
obtained from the Personnel Department in the Ministry of
Manpower.
To Whom it May Concern Certificate
This certificate shall be obtained from the HRD. It shall be
endorsed by the Assistant Dean for Administrative & Financial
Affairs. It should include the name of the employee, job title,
nationality and date of appointment.
Embassy and Consulate General Certificates:
An employee who wishes to obtain such certificate(s)
should submit a written application addressed to the Assistant
Dean for administrative & Financial Affairs. The HRD then
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forwards the application to the General Affairs Department in
the Ministry of Manpower, follows it up and delivers the
required certificate to the applicant upon receiving it.
Certificate of Experience:
The Certificate of Experience is a document which shall be
given to the employee whose service has ended with the
ministry. It details the duration of the employee’s service, the
job occupied, and the reason for terminating his/her services
with the ministry. It is usually issued in both Arabic and
English.

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 Eighth: Training Sessions
The responsibilities of the HRD include, among other
things, preparing and coordinating with other departments all in-
house training sessions and workshops that are conducted on or
off campus. The department also prepares training
plans/schedules in conjunction with some outside authorities.

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 Ninth: Cash Compensation Ticket Value
The employee on family contract is entitled to tourist class
air tickets for himself, his wife and up to three of his children
(below the age of 21 years old) at the start and end of his
services. The employee shall be entitled at the end of each
contractual year to a cash compensation of 75% of the value of
his ticket, his wife’s ticket and those of up to three of his
children who are below the age of 21 years old to the place of
residence and back.

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 Tenth: Renewal of Contract
Shortly before the end of the academic year, the HRD shall
prepare a list of the college employees who have applied for
contract renewal. The names shall be forwarded to the Personnel
Department in the Ministry. The renewed contracts shall be
delivered to the employees by the HRD upon receipt.

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 Eleventh: Statistics:
The HRD undertakes the preparation of all human cadre
statistics as per the annual directions from the office of the
Directorate General of Technological Education. The statistics
detail the number of employees currently working in the college
according to the job title, qualifications, type of contract, sex,
department, etc.

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 Twelfth: Safety and Health
The HRD, in conjunction with other departments in the
college, gives top priority to workplace health and safety to
protect human health and enable employees to deliver
their best performance. The college is committed towards
achieving a safe and hygienic work environment for all
employees by eliminating potential risks and hazards
related to their activities on campus. It often organizes
safety and health programs to equip them with the
knowledge and skills to perform their duties in a safe
manner. All employees should comply with the safety and
health measures instituted by NCT and also cooperate in
all safety-related tests and drills. They should be aware of
their personal responsibilities regarding safety and health
on campus.
Smoke-Free Workplace:
The college is committed to providing a healthy workplace
for its employees. In view of the injurious effects that are caused
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by smoking as well as second-hand smoke, it is of paramount
importance to maintain a smoke-free workplace policy in NCT
which stipulates that:

• Smoking is prohibited in all areas on campus including the

entire office premises, corridors, halls, classrooms,
canteens, toilets and lifts.

• NCT employees should draw their visitors’ and guests’

attention to the smoke-free policy of the college, where
appropriate.

• Non-compliance with the policy may result in disciplinary

action.

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 Thirteenth: House Rules

NCT Property:

NCT property includes, but is not limited to: office

furniture, computers, printers, stationery, ID cards, ID badges,
medical cards, SAC and library reference paper, electronic
resources, teaching materials, CD players and other office
equipment and facilities. Employees should safeguard NCT
property and should return any property in their possession to
the HRD upon termination in order to get a no due certificate.

Use of Personal Computers:

Employees should be aware of the IT security standards

and guidelines communicated by the IT department, especially
those relevant to their daily work on personal computers and
various computer application systems. Personal computers
should not be left running at the end of the working day.

Use of the Internet and Intranet:

The college recognizes the educational potential and

benefits of the Internet. Consequently, Internet access is
provided for the purpose of research, keeping up-to-date on
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work related information and other work related assignments.
The public Internet and the college Intranet should be used
constructively for communicative purposes and educational
goals that support the objectives of the college and its centers
and departments.

NCT Code Of Attire

Being committed to its national heritage, tradition and culture,

NCT requests all employees to dress in an appropriate and
presentable way while discharging duties inside the college
premises, to develop a sense of cultural appropriateness
regarding dress and grooming outside the college and to adhere
to the following requirements of NCT dress code policy:

1. Male Omani staff should wear the national dress: the white
dishdasha and turban. Female Omani staff should wear
black abbaya and headscarf.

2. Male expatriate staff members should wear short or long

sleeved shirts with necktie. Tattoos must be covered. Jeans
are not acceptable. Black or brown shoes are essential.

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 3. Female expatriate staff members must use their own
judgment as to what is appropriate. Wearing tight-fitting or
revealing styles is prohibited.

4. Technicians must always wear their lab coat during

working hours.

5. Exemptions can be permitted to staff working in workshops

where a special suit is required during workshop hours.

Punctuality and absence:

All employees must be punctual for work and strictly

observe their working hours. They should not be absent from
work even for a short while, without the prior approval of their
heads of centers/departments. Employees who cannot attend
work for any reason should notify their immediate supervisors
by phone.

Code of Conduct:

High ethical standards, integrity and honesty of employees

are crucial for NCT to pursue its vision of becoming “The
college of choice” for students and for employers, to contribute
significantly to the ongoing national economic development, and
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to achieve and sustain a strong reputation for excellence in
teaching and learning. All employees must work with dedication
and accomplish their duties to the best of their professional
knowledge in order to meet these noble objectives. They should
work as a team to keep up the public image of NCT as a
respectable high quality academic institution.

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